The first polling covering the entire North Andhra after 2014 general elections, the Graduates' Constituency election for the Legislative Council, being held on Thursday is keenly watched for several reasons.
Apart from unemployment and Contributory Pension Scheme that concerns employees, North Andhra issues, the Railway Zone in particular, and its ‘neglect’ turned focal points.
Declaration of its nominee coming somewhat late, the ruling combine with five MPs, 34 MLAs and three Zilla Parishad Chairmen representing, ran a high-profile campaign with its leaders declaring the election ‘prestigious’ and the outcome ‘of significance’. “Any political party wants to win an election,” says BJP State president K. Haribabu, describing it as an effort to re-establish the BJP in the Council.
He also dismisses any connection between the outcome and the GVMC elections as far-fetched as not even delimitation of wards and reservation was carried out.
Another national general secretary P. Muralidhar Rao cited the Odisha local body results as an outcome of such campaign. He came from Varanasi and campaigned for their nominee P.V.N. Madhav here. The Opposition faulted ‘politicising’ the campaign. The ruling combine also tried to take advantage of the grassroots-level organisational strength of the TDP.
Major test
For Mr. Madhav, who had missed the bus in the general elections, it is the first major electoral test after having cut his teeth in the BJP’s student and youth wings and Swadesi Jagaran Manch.
A trade unionist all along associated with various industrial units in North Andhra, for independent A. Aja Sarma, supported by the YSRC, the contest is a culmination in seeking a mandate for the causes he espoused. Besides he pitches for tapping North Andhra's irrigation potential and agro-based industries. “Because of his involvement with several associations and unions and being first off-the-bloc he knows where to get the votes,” says a supporter.
Also making his electoral debut, senior journalist V.V. Ramana Murthy, backed by Lok Satta, heightened the ‘North Andhra’ pitch questioning the ruling combine and its priorities vis-a-vis the emphasis and energies put on the campaign.
Meanwhile, responding to a representation made by Reddipalli Jagadishbabu of Padmanabham, Under Secretary to the Election Commission Sumankumar Das has stated that even if the visually challenged voters had not applied three days before, they can vote if the presiding officer is satisfied.
